The surprise attack on Israel by Hamas militants has been criticized by every member of Minnesota’s congressional delegation. 

“The videos of Hamas depravity in Israel are among the most appalling images I’ve ever seen,” Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips posted on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. “There is no lower form of human than those who target innocent women and children and rejoice in their murder and torture. Nations of the world must unite against these monsters. Now.”

He also took aim at Iran and reports that the country might have helped finance and plan the attack.

“If this reporting that Iran helped plan, support, and initiate the attack on Israel is confirmed, principled nations of the world must unite and neutralize the most repugnant, repressive, destabilizing regime in the world. Evil cannot be appeased any longer,” Phillips wrote.

Phillips was joined in the criticism by Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

“America stands firmly with Israel and condemns the heinous attacks being perpetrated by Hamas terrorists,” he wrote. “We will support our strongest ally in the Middle East and their right to defend themselves.”

The support was appreciated by Yinam Cohen, the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest, who is based in Chicago. 

“The terrorists went from one house to another killing children in front of their parents, mothers in front of their children. This is horrifying,” Cohen told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS in an interview. Cohen is in charge of Israeli relations with the U.S. in nine Midwestern states. “Massive support in the United States, starting with President Biden, through governors, other elected officials and thousands and thousands of Midwesterners who just reach out to us to express their support.”

The attack was also condemned by Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who has often been at odds with U.S. policy toward Israel.  

“I condemn the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas,” she wrote on X. “Such senseless violence will only repeat the back and forth cycle we’ve seen, which we cannot allow to continue.”

However, she also wants people to remember there are innocent Palestinians also caught in the crossfire.

“Reminder, Gaza doesn’t have shelters or an iron dome and to please pray for them,” she wrote. “May peace prevail in the region and move us towards a moral awakening to care about the human suffering we are seeing. Palestinians are human beings who have been in besieged and are deserving of protection from the international community.”

Cohen says he appreciates Omar’s condemnation of Hamas. However, he’s been critical of Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a frequent ally of Omar’s, who he says refuses to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization. The U.S. government and the European Union have both designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.

“I don’t think today there is any decent person who can deny that Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization,” Cohen told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.